I first began watching pro wrestling in the early to mid 80's by watching Dick the Bruiser's promotion out of Indianapolis every Saturday.

Each week I was captivated with Dick the Bruiser coming out and threating to beat the snot out of some wussy boy, and than actually doing it week after week, regardless of the fact that he had to be at least 50 years old at the time. But he was SCSA long before SCSA was even stunning, and when i was a child, I thought that the man could move mountains with his bare hands.

Since than the pro wrestling landscape has changed, and the stars we watch today wrestle in a much different style than the veterans of yesterday.

Maybe not too many people on this board were privy to ever seeing Dick the Bruiser, but for those who do know of who I am talking about, do you think he would be considered a Superstar by today's standards? Or would he fall under the catagory of brawlers that nobody seems to care too much about?

As someone who also grew up watching the AWA (in Chicago), I was a huge fan of Dick the Bruiser.

He was a former NFL tough guy who wore black trunks and kicked ass. Sounds exactly like a description of Bill Goldberg, who other than the Rock and Stone Cold, was the most over wrestler of the last 10 years.

The Bruiser's persona would be over today--wrestling fans like guys who kick ass.

Keep in mind that back in the day, a dropkick was considered a high-flying move. If someone like Rey Mysterio (or even a Kurt Angle) was transplanted twenty years ago, fans would have their minds blown.

Dick the Bruiser WAS the man. But today, it would be difficult. His gimmick was that he kicked the crap out of you. Period. Methodical. On the mat. Heart Punch. Stiff looking body slams. Running tackle.

But Dick wasn't that big. Not as big as SCSA, for example. But God, was he tough. Yeah, he'd do OK.

Other guys who would aslo get over from that 60-70s era.

Tricky Nick BockwinkleThe Blackjacks - they were one of the great ass kicking teams of all time.Ray StevensAnd for all of you who enjoy Angle's ring work, you should have seen Verne Gagne's in the 60s. He could move. He'd be doing all the stuff they do today, he had the skills.Ernie LaddHaystacks CalhounBaron Von Rashke

One dude I think could get over now is Mark Rocco, the original Black TIger. He had that Dynamite Kid style of hard-nosed wrestling, but with a little more charisma (plus the mask was MINT).

Dynamite Kid (the heel he played in Japan, that is...) would probably suffer from the same problem as The Rock. He'd play such a dick heel that the fans would start to cheer. And the roids combined with his unforgiving personality would probably lead to him shooting on someone and ending up off tv and back in Japan.

I'd LOVE to see a young Karl Gotch in the U.S. wrestling scene today. And to add to the fantasy, form a "Triple Threat" unit with Nishimura and Nakanishi (aka, GOTCH-ism) and just blow everyone's minds with some technical wrestling so good, it'll make you wanna slap Chris Benoit (before anyone asks, that's a play off the expression, "Barbeque so good, it'll make you wanna slap your mama!")

Originally posted by Big BadKeep in mind that back in the day, a dropkick was considered a high-flying move. If someone like Rey Mysterio (or even a Kurt Angle) was transplanted twenty years ago, fans would have their minds blown.

You're exactly right about that but, they would still have a hard time getting a push. Even 10 to 15 years ago, guys like Brian Pillman, Owen Hart (as the Blue Blazer), and Lazertron (I think that was Hector Guerrero) were mind blowing aerial wrestlers doing the occasional thing that some current wrestlers do several times each match.

It's humorous when I think of some of the changes in wrestling since I started watching at about 7 years old (around 1982 or 1983). I would watch Mid Atlantic Wrestling and Georgia Championship Wrestling and see guys like Butch Reed and Nikolai Volkof using basic Press Slams as finishers. Jake "The Snake" Roberts looked like he was killing people with his DDT and now many wrestlers use DDTs in the middle of matches. A Superplex was a definite finisher against anyone, now guys like Benoit, Angle, Eddy Guerrero, etc. use suplexes off the top rope and it doesn't finish off anyone. Hell, I remember when Dick Slater would piledrive someone just one time in the ring and it would be sold as if he had ended the other guys career while the announcers screamed about how that move was banned in most states. And, I remember when guys would win a match with a sleeper hold and then have to go through the whole ceremony of slapping the guy on the back to wake him up.

Someone who would have great matches with Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit today would be the AWA's Wilbur Schnieder. He was dubbed "The World's Most Scientific Wrestler" and he was incredible to watch. He'd just stretch guys out with numerous holds you'd never seen before.

Originally posted by NickBockwinkelFanSomeone who would have great matches with Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit today would be the AWA's Wilbur Schnieder. He was dubbed "The World's Most Scientific Wrestler" and he was incredible to watch. He'd just stretch guys out with numerous holds you'd never seen before.

Snyder, I think.

Yeah, he had a cool abdominal stretch that he would slowly slide his opponent into a STF-like move. I think I saw him put it on tricky Nick once at the civic center. Wilbur Snyder and Crusher were tag champs at one time and it was a classic pairing: Snyder would get in there and mat wrestle like a maniac. Hold, arm bars, half-nelsons, hammer locks, all the stuff that was so prevelant in early 70s wrestling. Then Crusher would come in and beat the dogcrap out of them with punches, kicks, axhandles,slams, elbow drops, etc. A true clash of styles. It was fun though. Not as fun as Bruiser and Crusher though, at least for me.